Speed-indicating and distance-recording mechanism.



- T. M. FOOTB.

WEED INDIGATING AND DISTANCE RECORDING MEOHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED 0033.11, 1906.

Patented Oct. 19, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

T. M. POOTE. SPEED mmcume AND DISTANCE RECORDING MECHANISM.

APYLIOATION FILED 0OT.11, 1906.

Patented 0013. 19, 1.909.

2 SHEETS-BHEET 2.

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THEODORE M. FOOTE, F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO PETER B. BRADLEY,

v HINGH Alvi, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPEED-INDICATING AND DISTANCE-RECORDING MECHANISM.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Get. in, race.

Application filed October 11, 1906. Serial No. 338,380.

. a citizen of the United States, residing at upon moving Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Speed-Indicating and Distance-Re cording Mechanism, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likenumerals on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to speed indicating and distance registering mechanism for use devices such, for example, as motor vehicles.

The object of my invention is to provide in simple and compact form an accurate mechanism from which the speed of the vehicle or other moving device can be readily determined and if desired the distance traveled thereby.

In order that the invention may be fully understood I will now set forth one specific embodiment ortype thereof and explain the manner of its'operation.

Having referenceto the drawings: Figure l is a side elevation of one embodiment of the speed indicating and distance registering mechanism constituting the subject matter of my invention; Fig. 2 is an end view thereof; Fig. 3 is a. longitudinal central section of the said mechanism the metallic'strips 4: being omitted; Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing the rotating driving disk and a form of speed controlled member cotiperating therewithto project the same into driving relation with a driven element; Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section of the mechanism upon the line 5-5 ofFig. 3 and show-' ing the coil spring tending normally to maintain the rotatable or driven disk at the inward movement of its travel; Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section upon the line 6-6 of. Fig. 2 and showing a preferred form of distance indicating mechanism; Fig. 7 is a longitudinal central section upon an enlarged scale, of the speed indicating mechanism and surrounding casing, and Fig. 8

is a side elevation showing a preferred form closed, the casing wherein the mechanism is preferably inclosed (Fig. 3) is shown at 1, the same con'iprising preferably a cylindrical metallic member having openings therein for the inspection of the desired portions of the mechanism such, for example, as the dis-' her 3 secured in position at its ends by suitable semi-cylindrical metallic strips 4.

The speed indicating and distance regis-' tering mechanism may be mounted on any convenient part of the moving device or other vehicle but I preferably in the case of motor vehicles mount the same upon the dashboard thereof and preferably connect the same (Fig. 1) by a suitable flexible shaft ing 5 to any part of the running gear beyond the clutches, as for example the front wheel.

Any suitable type'ofdistance registering mechanism may be employed. I have shown onetype of distance registering mechanism,

the same being preferably located in one end of the cylindrical casing so that the counter (3 thereof is exposed through an opening therein as previously stated. Any suitable mechanism-may be employed to impart the proper degree of rotation t9 the counter to register the distance traversed by the ve-' hicle. Preferably near one end of the cylindrical casing is provided a disk-like pal tition 6, serving to space the distance registering mechanism from the speed indicating mechanism and to sustain portions of the operative parts of each. I have here shown (Fig. 6) as a preferred form of distance indicating mechanism, a series of intermesh ing pinions suitably mounted upon the partition 6, and preferably comprising a-driving pinion 7, to which motion is imparted by the said flexible ehafting 5 from a running part of the vehicle, and from which motion is conveyed through the intermeshing pinions 8 and 9 to the counter (i, the shaft of the counter being provided with a star wheel 10, or equivalent device, with the teeth or' which av lug ll upon the pinion 9 l or construction of speed controlled means meshes. The number oi teeth npoi'i the various pinions is such that the lug; 11 upon the pinion 9 engages the star Wheel to rotate the same at :1 suitable speed to correctly 1ndicate the distance trnveled by the vehicle. The counter (5 is preferably inclosed inn casing 12 suitably mounted upon a metallic casting 13 that is secured to end PIOJGCUS longitudinally from the part] ion (3. I

The preferred embodiment of speed indi- Gating mechenism herein di closed i vided with a driving me! motion is im ivnrted in any itable manner. The said driving member i i 3 i and Y) is herein shown. ES a disk 14%., rota v in tiny suitable manner but preferably fri'nn the driving pinion 7 through the intern'ieshnig pinions 15 and 16, the lnt Jeing preler ably arranged centrally ofwhe passing and. supported upon tho parti r in 6. 5 j t 3, that is opposite the L mechanism, is a c'yli ,r V wherein is mounted it sin 18 trig. if) supporting for rotiitive movement the disk 1% Which, in the present @l'DlJOCllDlkiIlt Oil the invention, constitutes the driving member of the speed indicating mechanism. in the presenttype of the invention speed controlled means is employed to project or "'5' ally move the rotatable into dri'\ rig relation with a second and syrmretricelly arranged disk 19, the latter hem shown as provided a leether whereby it may the of the rotative movement 0: :1 member or disk. j .y suitable speed controlled means may In the present instance :1 nor is provided, the same consisting of ears 729/- projecting driving); member or dis d 21 have in the present *eferahly radially extending arm ated to Contact with n to or disk 14-, the other A: r l c said levers extending preferably nXirl. of casing'and receiving; loosely thereon weighted members 25, each of which is carried upon the outer end of corresponding lever :irn'is 26--26, pivoted upon the heads 27 of tubular soc ets 27' that have secured therein pins projecting from the adjacent face of the rotziiting disk or driving member 14, the said pins being surrounded intermediate the disk mem b er h 14 and the heads 27, by coiled springs 29. The said weighted members iiiare pretcrably,connected by coiled 28,

tending to normally i'naintain t inner or non-active ably held upon the o1. ends of by the coiled springs 10.. i ell position nun are pref may be employed.

The driving member oi the speed indicating mechanism, herein shown as the rotating, disk ll. is in this en'ibodiment ol my invention so mounted that it. may be moved axially by the lever arms 21 when the Weighted members 25 ot' the speed controlled meml'ier are thrown outward or separated during the travel oi. the motor vehicle. in order that the said rotating disk ll may be so moved. it. is preferably provided upon that taco thereof that. is adjacent the speed controlled member with e centrally disposed projecting pin not herein shown mounted 'lor slidingmovement in the shaft whereby the disk being; normally held in retracted position b ans oi the coiled spring'29 previously described, and partaking of the rotative motion of its shaft 18 by re: son of the pin 30 proj. ting from the face of the disk l l and received for sliding movement in the ears projecting from said shaft. During the travel of the motor vehicle the Weighted members 25 of the speed controlled mem- I. l

are thrown outwardly under centrifugal action and the lever arms thereupon act to move axially the rotating disk 1% which in this embodiment of my invention con- 5'-i.itutes the (diving member, thereby projecting a .t'ace of the said dislr into driving relatirm or contact with the face of the driven member of the speed indicating mecl nism which as previously stated is in inbediment of my invention the rotati I 3), the some being when the vehicle L. her entirely out of contact with disk 'l-lor out of effective driv (Ill(,ll therewith. In the described .euientoi the disk 14:, e pin 31 "52' lin'iits the movement sockets 27 said pin serving The said driven it) carries or is connected movement with a speed symbol Lllj/llll}; element or disk 30 the said speed symbol carrying disk 30 having spindle ill which is mounted for rotation in a head or end of: the casing. The element or disk 30 is rotatably connected in any operative manner tl speed symbols l'iy the driven member. The nmnner of operative connection to insure such presentation is quite immaterial, being varied as desired. Projecting from the 0ppositc thee ot the said speed symbol carryme disk 30 e sleeve 32, adapted to repro iccting from the adjacent {C6 of the rotatable disk 19, constituting the driven member, a. coiled spring 33 surroundid pin and tending normally to nble 1' 19 toward the in 31 1. in this 15th may be desired to the drivenmen'1ber to effect the presentation of the rotated, the said rotating disk embodiment of my invention to provide 7 means whereby the rotative movement of the disk 19 is transmitted to the said speed symbol carrying disk l may employ any suitable connection and have herein shown a socket or sleeve 34 projecting from the face of the said speed symbol carrying disk that is ad jacent the disk 19, the said socket or sleeve being adapted to slidingly receive therein the pin 35 projecting from the adjacent 'tace of the said driven disk 19.

The speed symbol carrying rotatable elementor disk may be provided with any suitable symbols to indicatcithe speed at which the motor vehicle or other device is driven. l prefer, however, and in this type of my invention have shown numerals, between which may be arranged it desired suitable lines or marks 36. indicating miles numerals being employed in this instance to represent every fifth mile.

It will be apparent from the construction of the mechanism thus far disclosed that the driving element or rotating disk 14 is during the travel of the motor vehicle projected.

toward the driven element or rotatable disk 19 to bring the faces thereof into driving contact, for an axial distance dependent upon the extent of outward swinging movement of the weighted members 25 of the centrifugal governor orspeed controlled device. As soon as the face of the driving or rotating disk 14% is brought. in driving contact with the driven or rotatabledisk 19 an impulse of partial rotation is imparted to the said rotatable disk 19 thereby to impart a similar impulse of partial rotation to the speed symbol carrying disk thereby to present the proper symbol, in this case. a line or numeral, opposite a predetermined portion of the opening in the casing through which the said speed symbol bearing disk is exposed. In order that the driven or rotatable disk 19 may have an impulse. of rotation imparted thereto which shall correspond to the speed of the motor vehicle so that the proper speed symbol may be presented, I have in this embodiment of my invention provided a driving contact period .ttnrminating means to terminate the period of driving or rotative engagement of the disks it and '19. I have here shown said contact: period terminating means as consisting of means whereby the driven disk 19 may be removed or withdrawn from driving contact with the disk 14: but I wish it to be understood that any other suitable device may be employed for the purpose. As a convenient and suitable means to move the disk 19 from the driving disk 14, I. have in the present instance shown the casing 1 as. provided with a cylindrical cam member 37 having an edge formed as a spiral. camway whereon is received a preferably projecting portion of the disk 19 such (see dotted lines Fig. 2% and Fig. 7) a roller 38 projecting from the periphery of the said disk 19. The projecting portion or roller 38 of the rotatable disk 19 is held in contact with the camway of the cam member 37 by means of the coiled spring 33 previ- 7(1 ously referred to and it will be understood that the force of the said spring :1 such that as soon as the said disk 19 is removed or withdrawn from driving contact with the face of the disk 1% by the movement of the 7 same along the camway the rotative impulse imparted to the said disk 19 is at once terminated. The said spiral cainway is so proportioned that the disk 19 directed thereby will,.when a rotative impulse is imparted 8G thereto, be projected along it and thereby be removed from driving contact with the driving member or disk 14, the extent of axial movement. of the, disk 14 and therefore the period of driving contact of the disks 14: and '5 19 depending upon the speed of the vehicle and therefore upon the extent of outward movement of the weighted members 25. Surrounding the spindle 31 of the speed symbol carrying disk 30 (Figs. 8 and 5) is a coiled spring 3t, one end thereof being attached to a lug 39 projecting from a face of the said disk and the other end being suit-. ably connected to a pin 40 projecting from the inner face of the adjacent head 2. of the casing, thev tcndencyof thesaid coiled spring being therefore to rotate thesaid speed symbol bearing disk and the rotatively connected disk 19 in a direction to project the said disk 19 along the camway toward the said disk It or in a direction the reverse of that in which it has been forced by the rotative impulse imparted thereto by the said disk 14.

it will be apparent that such tendency of the coiled spring 38 is opposed by the axial movement of the driving disk or member 14 so that the said disk 19 and the speed symbol warrying disk connected theretoare sustained or held in such position that the proper speed symbol is presented at the proper or predetermined point.

Having thus set forth one type or einbodiment of my invention I wish it to' be understood that although I have described the same specifically yet the terms employed by me are used in a broad and general sense and not. in their specific nature and that I am in nowise limited thereby. the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

Ola i m's 1. A speed indicator for vehicles comprising a driving member. a driven member. a speed symbol carrying element rotatably connected to the latter and having speed 125 symbols, speed controlled means relatively to move said members into driving contact, and driving contact terminating means to terminate'thc period at driving contact upon the presentation of the proper symbol. 13C

to move said members into driving contact, .and drivmg contact termmatmg means to I terminate the period of driving contact upon the presentation of the proper symbol.

3. A speed indicator tor vehicles comprising a rotating member, a rotatable member, a speed. symbol carrying element. rotatably connected to the latter and having speed symbols, speed controlled means relatively to project said members into driving contact and driving contact terminating means to terminate the period of driving contact upon the presentation of the proper symbol.

4. A speed indicator for vehicles comprising a. rotating disk, a rotatable disk, at speed symbol carrying element. rotatably con.- nected to the latter and having speed symbols and normally out of driving contact with the rotating disk, speed controlled means to project; the former disk into driving contact with the latter disk, and driving contact terminating means to terminate the period of driving contact upon the presentation of the proper symbol.

5. A speed indicator for vehicles comprising a driving member, a driven member, a speed symbol carrying element rotatably connected to the latter and having speed symbols, speed controlled means relatively to project said members into driving relation, and driving period terminating means to terminate the period or" movement of the driven member upon the presentation of the proper speed symbol.

6. A speed indicator for vehicles comprising a rotating disk, a rotatable disk, :1 speed symbol carrying element rotatably connected to the latter and having speed symbols, speed controlled means to project said tormer disk into driving engagement with the latter disk, and means to remove the rotatable disk from driving engagement upon the presentation of the proper speed symboll 7. A speed indicator for vehicles comprising a rotating men ber, a rotatable member, a speed symbolcarrying element rotatably connected to the latter and having speed symbols, speed cont-rolled means to move said rotating member into driving contact with the rotatable member, and driving contact terminating means whereby the rotation of said rotative member removes the same from driving contact with the rotating member.

8. A speed indicator for vehicles comprismg a rotating disk, a rotatable disk. a speed symbol carrying element rotatably connected to the latter and having speed sym- 1 biting disk therein. tools a eed controlled means to move sent I 3 rotating diskinto engagement with said rotatable disk, and cam. mechanism to terminate the period of driving contact upon the presentation of the proper speed symbol.

9. A speed indicator for vehicles comprising a rotating disk, a rotatable disk, a speed symbol carrying element rotatably connected to the latter and having speed sym hols, speed controlled means to move said rotating disk into engagement with said rotatable disk, and a cam with which said rotatable disk engages and along which the same is projected when rotatiive movement is imparted thereto, to terminate the period of driving contact: upon the presentation of the proper symbol.

1.0. ."i speed indicator for vehicles comprising a rotating disk, a rotatable disk, a. speed symbol carrying element rotatablv coi'mected to the latter and having speed symbols, speed controlled means to move said rotating disk into engagement. with said rotatable disk, and a stationary cam with which said rotatable disk engages and along which the same is projected \vhen rotative movement is imparted thereto, to terminate the period oi. driving contact upon the presentation oi the proper symbol.

ll. A speed indicator t'or vehicles comprising a rotating disk. a rotatable disk, a speed symbol carrying element rotatably connected to the latter and having speed symbols, speed controlled means to move said rotating disk axially into engagement with said rotatable disk, and contact period terminating mechanism to more said rot'atable disk axially to control the 'iresentation of the proper speed symbol.

12. A speed indicator for vehicles com prising a rotating member. means to rotate the same, a rotatable member. aspeed symbol .-arrying element rotatably connected to the latter and having speed symbols, said latter member being rotated t'r n'n the former, and means to project axially said latter member to determine the presentation at the proper speed symbol.

13. A speed indicator for vehicles comprising a rotating disk, a rotatable disk,

speed controlled means to move said former disk axially mto driving contact with said latter disk, a spiral cam with which said.

rotatable disk is in engagement and along which the same is projected axially during the period of rotation thereof to terminate the period ot'driving contact upon the preseutation ot the proper symbol, a speed symbol disk. and connections between the same and said rotatable disk whereby said speed symbol disk partakes only ol the retative movement of said rotatable disk.

ii. A speed indicating mechani for liicles comprising a evlii'idrical e said casing, a,

ll t] from the latter, a driven member, a speed symbols, a speed controlled member to move said rotatable disk during-its period of drivmove said rotat-in disk axially into driving contact with sait rotatabledisk, a spiral cam way upon the inner surface of said cylinder with which said rotatable disk is in constant engagement, and along Which the same is moved during its period of rotative movement to terminate the period of driving contact upon the presentation of the proper symbol and a non-axially movable speed symbol disk in rotative relation with said -1 rotatable disk.

15. A speed indicating mechanism for vehicles comprising a rotating disk, distance registering mechanism, means to rotate said disk therefrom, a rotatable disk, a speed symbol carrying element rotatably connected to the latter and having speed symbols, speed controlled means to move the rotating disk into driving relation with the rotatable disk, and means to terminate the period of driving relation upon the presentation of the proper speed symbol.

16. A speed indicator for vehicles comprising a driving member, distance registering mechanism, means to drive the former symbol carrying element rotatably connected to the latter and having speed symbols, speed controlled means relatively to move said driving and driven members into driving relation, and means to terminate the, period of driving relation upon the presentation of the proper speed symbol.

17. A speed indicator for vehicles com- 1 O u I prising a rotating d1sk, a rotatable disk, a speed symbol carrying element rotatably connected to the latter and having speed the former disk into driving contact" With the latter, means active during the period of driving contact to move said rotatable disk from driving contact and means tending to restore the same to driving contact.

.18. A. speed indicator for vehicles comprising a rotating disk, a rotatable disk and speed symbol disk concentrically arranged, speed cont-rolled means to move the rotating disk into face driving contact with the rotatable disk, means to rotate said speed symboldisk from the rotatable disk, and driving contact terminating means to remove the rotatable disk from driving contact upon the presentation of the proper symbol.

119. speed indicator for vehicles comprising a rotating disk, a rotatable disk, av i speed symbol carrying element rotatably connected to the latter and having speed symbols, speed controlled member to project said former disk into driving engagement with the latter disk, and means to move ing contact in the direction ol' projection of the rotating disk, whereby upon. the projection of the rotating disk to a limit deter- 4 mined by the speed of the vehicle the rotatable disk maintains the presentation of the proper speed symbol.

20. A speed indicator for vehicles comprising a rotating disk, a rotatable disk, a speed symbol carrying element rotatably connected to the latter and having speed symbols, speed controlled means to project said former disk axially into face driving engagement with the latter disk, and means to move the rotatable disk axially during its period of driving engagement in the direction of projection of the rotating disk, whereby upon the projection of the rotating disk to a limit determined by the speed of the vehicle, the rotatable disk maintains the presentation of the proper speed symbol.

21. 'A speed indicator for vehicles com prising a rotating disk, a rotatable disk, a speed symbol carrying element rotatably connected to the latter and having speed symbols, speed controlled means to protect the former disk axially into face driving contact with the latter disk, and a spiral cam encircling the rotatable disk and cooperating therewith to move said rotatable disk axially during the period of projection of the rotating disk.

22. A speed indicator for vehicles comprising a rotating disk, a rotatable disk, a speed symbol carrying element rotatably connected to the latter and having speed symbols, speed controlled means to project the former disk axially into face driving contact with the latter disk, a spiralcam encircling the rotatable disk and cooperating therewith to move said rotatable disk axially during the period of projection of the rotating disk, and means tending to move said rotatable disk along said cam toward the rotating disk.

23. It speed indicator for vehicles comprising a rotating disk, a rotatable disk controlling the presentation of speed symbols, speed controlled means to project the former disk axially into face driving contact with the latter disk, a spiral. cam encircling the rotatable disk and cooperating therewith to move said rotatable disk axially during the period of projection of the rotating disk, means tending to move said rotatable disk along said cam toward the rotating disk, and a non-axially movable rotatable speed symbol presenting 'disk in operative engagement with said rotatable disk.

24. A speed indicator for vehicles comprising a driving member, a driven member, a speed symbol carrying element rotatably connected to the latter and having speed symbols, speed controlled means constructed to move the driving member "into driving prising a driving member, eriven i'nember, a speed symbol Calll)1lig element rotnteely connected .to the latter and having speed symbols, and speed controlled means to move the driving member llllO driving eentnct the I with said driven IHCHllJCl wvllerelr,

7 proper speed symbol may be prese ted.

in testimony Wll reel, have signed my I mine to this specification, in the presence of lwo Subscribing WilllQSSCS.

THEODORE M. FOOTE 

